Kai Family History

Kai Name Meaning

Dutch and North German: topographic name for someone living by a quayside, from Dutch kaai ‘quay’, German Kai (which was borrowed from the Dutch). Danish and Frisian: from the Danish personal name Kai, Kaj, Kay, which is of uncertain origin, most likely from Frisian or Latin Caius. Japanese: the original meaning is probably ‘shell’, but the name is written phonetically with two characters meaning ‘first class’ or ‘shell’, plus ‘beauty’. Though the surname is found mostly in the island of Kyushu, some families could have connections with the ancient province of Kai (now Yamanashi prefecture) in the mountains of central Honshu.

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Kai Family Origin

Where is the Kai family from?

You can see how Kai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kai family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Kai families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 14 Kai families living in California. This was about 61% of all the recorded Kai's in the USA. California had the highest population of Kai families in 1880.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kai surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

Kai Family Occupations

What did your Kai ancestors do for a living?

In 1880, a less common occupation for the Kai family was Painter. The most common Kai occupation in the USA was Boarding House Keeper. 33% of Kai's were Boarding House Keepers. Boarding House Keeper and Laborer On R. R. were the top 2 reported jobs worked by Kai.

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Kai ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

Kai Historical Records

What Kai family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Kai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Kai. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Kai. For the veterans among your Kai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Kai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Kai. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Kai. For the veterans among your Kai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kai ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.